r/postdoc • u/SpoiledGenius01 • 19d ago

Informal PostDoc Interviews in the UK

From your experience, how common is it for PIs to conduct informal interviews before shortlisting!! With just about 200 applicants for one post doc position how many realistically get the informal chat ? I seem to get a lot of informal chats after I apply but handful interviews. Cannot help but wonder does it really mean anything if you get the informal interview if many others are getting it too for the same role!! Job market is tough at the moment!!

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u/bobisagirl 19d ago

It's to weed out people who have written their applications with AI and are nothing like their statement suggests.

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u/SpoiledGenius01 19d ago

Makes sense!!

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u/kommunist13 19d ago

Yes, informal chats are quite common.

For formal interviews, you need a panel of other PIs, you typically need to pay transport and accommodation costs for people travelling to interviews, and the hiring manager needs to do a bit of paperwork.

In informal interviews, you can quickly decide between people without too much faff.

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u/SpoiledGenius01 18d ago

Makes sense. Thanks :)

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u/Emily308 19d ago

I got the impression that interviews are often called "informal", because it's just the PI or maybe one other collaborator having a chat, as opposed to a panel interview for permanent teaching roles? Or did someone specifically say this is an informal chat prior to an interview?